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On George Fernandes Statement Absolving Pakistan PM

Date:

Saturday, May 29, 1999

Press Statement

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement:

At a time when all sections of the people and political circles have extended support to the government's efforts to get rid of the armed infiltrators in Jammu & Kashmir, it is surprising to see the Defence Minister, George Fernandes, coming out with irresponsible statements. Unable to come up with any convincing explanation on how such a large group of armed infiltrators could entrench themselves within the Indian side of the line of control and the failure to dislodge them for three weeks, now the Defence Minister has announced that the Nawaz Sharief government and the ISI have not played any role in the infiltration. He has blamed the Pakistan army for this adventure implying that they have done this bypassing the government. It is difficult to believe that the Union Defence Minister can make such a formulation virtually exonerating the Pakistan government. The Vajpayee government, which is a caretaker government, should either disown publicly the stand taken by George Fernandes or provide some worthwhile explanation for such remarks which are damaging India's position internationally.

This latest act of indiscretion by George Fernandes is nothing but a continuation of the series of harmful and irresponsible acts, which began with the anti-China tirade of the Defence Minister as soon as the Vajpayee government came into office.